Never Mind The Paradox
by colormonk
Summary: harry thrust back in time three years has to stand on the side lines and watch as his past self struggles through life, unable to change time for risk of a paradox. read as harry sits on the side lines and watches his past self struggle through the lasts three years unable to stop people he knows will die from dieing while running into his own troubles. first multi fic ever!


_**Chapter 1 – Going Back and Confusion.**_

**A/N: well here is my first multi chapter fiction ever i thought i would give it a try... now this story is requested and beta'd by Agramahad so thanks you :)**

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**Department of mysteries**

**18th June 1996**

Harry was breathing heavily. He, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny and Luna had just been chased through the blasted hall of prophecy by Death Eaters, only to all end up in some kind of circular chamber. The room was empty with a singular exception. A few stone steps in the middle of the chamber let up to a raised circular platform. Upon that platform was a stone arch covered in runes with a tattered grey curtain that slowly flittered about as if caught in a breeze.

Harry looked around at all his friends being held by death eaters. Available options were certainly limited, he had no idea what he should do now.

Malfoy was trying to get him to hand over the prophecy but Harry just tuned his voice out as he tried desperately to come up with a plan.

Maybe he could free Neville by blasting the stone floor him and Bellatrix were stood on. As she was holding him in front as a shield a well placed bombarda could blow shrapnel into her back and legs. Though it was certainly risky as the chance of hitting Neville was fairly high.

It would do also do nothing to the remaining Death Eaters holding his other friends hostage.

Other plans were considered and tossed aside and Malfoy looked to be getting impatient. Fortunately his planning was not needed as a few seconds later the order of the phoenix arrived. As all focus was directed at him the Order managed to surprise the Death Eaters, freeing Harry's friends and battle commenced. Harry ducked and dodged spells for the next fifteen minutes trying to make his way over to Sirius who was duelling Bellatrix on the centre platform.

As Harry climbed up to where Sirius was duelling Bellatrix Malfoy came at him from the side.

"Give me the prophecy potter." He spat.

Harry stood there defiant before throwing it at the floor smashing it completely before levelling his wand at Malfoy.

Harry was instantly put on the defence as he was pushed back towards Sirius where they fought back to back before a blasting hex hit the floor between them sending both of them flying through the air.

When Harry's ears stopped ringing he realised that he had fallen from the centre platform and that Malfoy was on his way down towards him.

He noticed the fights going on around him as spells were flying in all directions. He saw Sirius duelling Bellatrix again in front of the arch.

Harry flicked his wand towards Malfoy catching him unaware with a stunner to the foot leaving him in a crumpled heap on the floor.

He turned to look at Sirius just in time to hear him make a jibe at Bellatrix seconds before being hit in the stomach with an unknown curse.

Time itself seemed to stop as Sirius looked at Harry and smiled before falling back through the arch.

Harrys breath hitched in his throat as Sirius fell and didn't reappear on the floor behind it.

Harry stood there unable to move for a few seconds as he watched where Sirius had just been standing hoping against all the odds that Sirius would just walk back out and shout surprise or something.

He felt himself run towards the veil and Remus grab him to stop him. Remus was whispering something unintelligible in his ear.

That was when he heard Bellatrix's taunting, pure rage took over as something inside him snapped. He broke free of the grip on him and chased after her.

Room after room flashed by as he ran. He had no idea what spells and curses he threw at her, most missed their mark and the few that could have hit her were almost negligently deflected with a flick of her wand. Still he ran. Room after room, but he was closing in.

Losing what little remained of his temper Harry fired a blasting hex that Bellatrix just battered aside. She had a curse on her lips when his last parried curse struck something which detonated. The explosion sent Harry flying towards the wall to his left as different coloured wisps of magic seemed to float around him.

The last thing he saw before his vision failed was someone dressed in black walking out of the next room heading after Bellatrix.

**Department of mysteries**

Harry awoke slumped down against the same wall he had just hit. The suddenness of regaining consciousness screamed to him that magic was used to do it. That his wand was missing was not his primary concern however. The fact that he currently couldn't move his body was.

A gentle cough brought his attention to what could only be an Unspeakable that stood in front of him, twirling his own wand around the fingers in their left hand while they had their own wand levelled at him with their right.

"Well, well what have we here? I know who you are, or at least who you are supposed to be 'Mr Potter'. But you certainly don't look how you should."

The voice obviously originated from the Unspeakable in front of him but the darkness of the hood hid all the features of the face, the voice was also slightly distorted but Harry thought that it sounded feminine.

"Now I would say you should be in school given your apparent youth… But the slight distortion of your magical signature indicates something that should not be possible… I apologise for this, but given how I found you and more importantly _where_ I found you… **Legilimens**."

Snape's use of the art was always accompanied by pain and suffering. This was positively gentle by comparison, but that didn't mean it still wasn't painful. Images of the evenings events we're viewed and inspected in detail, then she started skimming back through the previous weeks and months. Harry barely had time to scream before it was over. He was sure his body would be trembling from the experience if it wasn't currently paralyzed. He did manage a rather nice glare though. Not that the Unspeakable seemed to notice as she, or so Harry assumed, started talking to herself.

"Ah yes that makes sense… unlikely but makes sense." She continued to mutter casting more charms on him.

"Now Mr Potter what is the date?" she asked.

Harry gave no reply but the glare intensified. He'd had a lot of practice on Snape after all.

"Mr Potter, you _will_ answer my questions or things might not go well for you. You are in a restricted section of the Department of Mysteries. _The_ restricted section if it means anything to you. Nobody should have access to this area without the express permission of the head of this department. I assure you that **you do not have that**… Now, answer my questions to my satisfaction and we can see about sorting out the mess you have found yourself in… What is the current date?"

"18th or 19th June 1996."

"Ah, then it is as I thought… You find yourself in a rather unique position Mr Potter. The current date is not the 19th June 1996 but rather the 18th June 1993." She exclaimed joyfully pulling her hood down so he could see her face.

She was a dark blonde, her hair was tied up in a bun, and she had an air of childishness about her which was proven by how excited she was about the current situation as she clapped her hands.

"Time travel?" Harry asked uncertain.

"It would seem so Mr Potter… You have apparently travelled back in time a full three years. Now the only question I have is how? You have no time turner on your person, so how did you get here Mr Potter?" she asked.

With another glare he said "Didn't you already see what you needed when you invaded my mind?"

"Don't give me that attitude Mr Potter. While I did see most of the recent events in your life they were… fragmented, jumbled up together. Your overly strong emotions at the time caused them to… blur, in a manner of speaking. So I would like you to clarify what happened to you."

"Do… Do you have a pensive?" Harry asked.

"This is the department of mysteries… of course we have a pensive." She exclaimed. A quick wave of her wand and Harry found he could move as she bent down offering him a hand.

"Then I will show you."

She led him down corridors through the department, past the hall of prophecy and into a door that Harry hadn't noticed before on his previous trip through the department.

She sat down behind the desk before gesturing to the pensive that was sitting on a table to the side.

"How do I take out a memory?" He asked.

"Place your wand to your temple and think of what you want to show me. Focus on the memory. Focus on the beginning all the way to the end. Bring the memory to the front of your mind and imagine connecting it to your wand, then simply pull the wand away." She said demonstrating at the same time.

It took three goes but Harry eventually got it and placed the memory of the evening events in the pensive.

They both entered and watched the carnage as they fought their way through the department, destroying nearly everything they came into contact with. She watched as Sirius fell through the veil, the rage that consumed him and, as he chased down Bellatrix, the deflected spell along with the explosion in the Time Room. They witnessed all the different tendrils of magic that seemed to wrap around him before he blacked out.

Then the familiar rush of exiting the device as they both appeared back in front of the pensive.

"Well that was… impressive." She said after a few seconds "I have a few questions though." She said gesturing him towards a seat at the desk.

"Ask away… but first your name please." Harry replied.

"We don't usually give our names away as Unspeakable's… but I suppose given your current situation I could give it to you as we _are_ going to be working together." She replied after a few seconds "My name is Zandra, Zandra Emilia Greengrass. Now I will ask a question and then you can ask one if you want if that's okay?" she said sitting back behind the desk.

Harry just nodded, still slightly in shock about his apparent time travel and current situation.

"Right. I heard Malfoy mention a dark lord? Who? How? And what can you tell me about them?" she asked.

"He was talking about Voldemort." Surprisingly Harry noticed she didn't flinch at the name. "He isn't dead… well not completely. I am sure how he survived but he is still alive."

"Your saying that Voldemort returned?"

Harry just nodded.

"Right… Great. Fan-bloody-tastic. I'd hoped we were rid of that bastard…Okay… When did he come back and re start his war?"

"Well it's my question… but I'll answer yours first." Harry said with a grin. "In short he was keeping his rebirth a secret so the only people who knew he was still alive was me, Dumbledore and his _willing_ Death Eaters. We managed to persuade a few others to believe us, but unfortunately the ministry's stance was that he was dead. Fudge absolutely refused to listen to us and because of that he has been spending a lot of time, effort and money trying to make me and Dumbledore look bad trying to persuade the public. He thinks we were trying to take over and kick him out of office. As the idiot was taking bribes from Malfoy, who immediately went back to his old master to grovel at his feet, Voldemort spent the entire year since he came back building up his strength and forces again."

"That sounds… well, shit if I am honest. The ministry wouldn't act at all about the information you gave about Voldemort's… rebirth you called it?" she asked to which Harry nodded "Okay, your question."

"How do I know that I have really travelled in time? And that you're not some Death Eater trying to get information out of me" he asked.

"Good question. Well for starters Sirius Black is still in prison, Remus Lupin hasn't been seen since nineteen eighty one and, well, your still in Hogwarts at this very second."

"Can you prove it?"

"The Hogwarts express will arrive in London tomorrow afternoon. You will need somewhere to stay for the night at least. You will accompany me to my home for the night, we can talk more there before we go to the station. I have to pick up my daughters anyway." She explained before looking at her watch. "It's just gone six in the evening, I have to be home. Now as a time traveller you have to be in the department's custody until we wipe your memory or send you back to where you came from. Now as you have information regarding the start of a war I will allow you to stay with your memory so long as you accept a few simple facts. People that you _know_ have died _cannot_ be saved. This is the way it _must_ be, changing the timeline by saving a life you know was spent will have unknown consequences. This could include your death, the death of this world or maybe the destruction of the entire timeline. Time travel is severely restricted for a reason. Disregard any of what I've said and I will _end_ you, I don't care who you are. If you risk a paradox for _any_ reason I will not hesitate. Do _not_ test me on this." She replied.

Harry sat there thinking. If he went back he would probably die. Sirius was dead either way and the others would be soon after but despite the warnings if he stayed he could save people. Yes he wouldn't have his friends but he could save lives… hundreds of lives. With three years to prepare…

"Okay I'll stay. But only if you can prove I have…if that makes any sense what so ever" Harry replied scratching his head.

"I get what you mean. Well let's go. My husband will be wondering where I am." She said grabbing a coat.

**Platform 9 ¾**

**19th June 1993**

Harry and Zandra walked through the barrier of the platform, Harry under numerous glamour charms and enchantments to avoid being noticed.

They stood there talking about little things like quidditch and alike while waiting for the Hogwarts express. Which, it turned out, arrived sooner than he would have thought. They only had to wait five minutes until it arrived at the platform.

Harry saw Mrs Weasley arrive just in time to pick up Ron, Percy and the twins. Even though he was expecting it he was still surprised to see himself walk off the Hogwarts express with Ron and Hermione in tow. Although he was even more surprised to see a small blonde who looked like a younger Zandra give Malfoy the bird before walking over to them.

"Astoria. What have I told you about acting up in public?" Zandra asked.

She grumbled something that Harry couldn't quite hear but he made out the words 'sorry', 'he's a git' and 'won't happen again' making him snort at the obvious lie… she would do it again he had no idea how but he knew she would.

"Who's this mum?" she asked.

"Someone from work love. I will introduce you when we get home." Zandra said.

"You believe me now?"

"I never doubted you before… Okay maybe a little, but, well they do say seeing is believing."

"Wise words."

"Thanks."

"What are you two on about?" Astoria asked exasperated.

"Later. Where is your sister?" her mother asked.

"How should I know? Probably snogging Tracy somewhere." Astoria muttered the last part under her breath so her mother couldn't hear.

Harry barely restrained a snort. He liked her she had a fire inside her.

"Ah there she is." Zandra said pointing off towards a small group of slytherin's.

He guessed it was Daphne who walked over towards them.

She walked over all quiet and reserved just like the proper pureblood that Harry remembered.

He wondered why Astoria wasn't like that she seemed more rebellious and definitely not the kind of person Malfoy would want for a proper pureblood wife. So what did he want with her?

It didn't take them long to floo back to Greengrass manor. Even though he had already been there he couldn't help but still feel a bit awed that this was a house a family of four lived in. It was huge and mostly painted a pale green which Harry didn't really like but, hey, it wasn't his house. The room he had been given to use was pale blue so he wasn't bothered.

"So just who are you?" Astoria asked almost as soon as she stepped out of the fireplace.

"Well you're defiantly straight to the point aren't you?" Harry replied.

"Yes she is. And she should be glad father is on the continent and not here to give her a piece of his mind." Daphne said looking down her nose at Astoria.

Harry tilted his head to the side and looked at Daphne.

"What is wrong about being to the point? If you don't mind me asking." Harry asked her much to Astoria's delight.

"It is not the place of a pureblood lady to ask questions that don't concern her." Daphne replied haughtily.

"Ah." Harry said understanding. "Well as it does kind of concern you all I guess that I should answer her question." Harry replied "But we will wait for your mum first so she can remove these glamour's."

Zandra entered the room seconds later having just caught the end of the conversation.

"Harry here is here as part of my job. So it falls under the oaths you made to our house that you cannot tell anyone anything at all about him." Zandra said. Daphne nodded seeming to have guessed that it would be something like that while Astoria just seemed to want to know who he was already.

After getting a nod from both girls Zandra released the glamor charms on Harry letting the girls see just who he really was.

Daphne's jaw dropped slightly before she regained control of her emotions and schooled her features. Astoria wasn't quite as afraid to show her emotions and her eyes stayed wide as she gapped like a fish.

"Now be polite and introduce yourselves."

Daphne did a slight curtsey as she introduced herself while Astoria seemed more interested in giving him a good look over.

"Now I take it you both want to unpack?" Zandra asked getting nod from Daphne.

"No thanks mother. I don't think there is anything in my trunk that I need for now." Astoria replied.

"Okay then why don't you show Harry around and give him the tour. He only arrived yesterday."

"Okay." Astoria replied happily.

"Oh and Harry… she will ask a lot of questions." Zandra shouted after them. "Keep in mind that she is only twelve when answering."

"How is he in two places at once mother?" Daphne asked once Astoria had dragged Harry out of the room.

"How do you think?" she replied testingly, hoping Daphne could work out the answer.

"Time travel is the only way I can think of, but all known methods only allow three days travel and he looks nearly seventeen." She replied.

"He will be sixteen in just over a month. But you are correct. At this present time only three days travel is possible, but he is not from our time is he?" Zandra replied.

Daphne just nodded before heading up stairs to unpack her trunk.

"So how are you in two places at once? What happened to you? Was it time travel? Why did you travel back in time? Did you know me before you travelled back? Do you, did you, or will you have a girlfriend? How did you meet my mum? Please tell me that I don't end up married to Malfoy." Astoria asked as soon as her and Harry had left the room.

Harry just laughed at her enthusiasm causing her to blush slightly.

"One question at a time." Harry said once he stopped laughing.

"Okay well this is the dining room which we only use during dinner parties otherwise we eat in the private dining room over here across the hall. So first question, how are you in two places at once?"

"Time travel." Harry replied as he looked around the large dining room.

"And that lets there be two of you? It doesn't remove one of you from existence or something?"

"Apparently not."

"You don't know? So you're not an expert on time travel then?" she asked confused. Harry just shook his head as they left the dining room. Astoria pushed him out towards the garden deciding the tour could wait she had questions that needed answering.

"So if you are not some expert on time travel then why are you here?" she asked as they sat down on a bench.

"There was a…or will be a fight in the department of mysteries in the ministry in a few years' time. There was an explosion in the Time Room, I got caught in it and I ended up here. Three years in the past." He replied.

"Oh… what were you doing in a fight?" she asked.

"That's a secret, sorry." He replied.

"Will you tell me one day?" she asked with her best puppy eyes.

"Two years' time I will." He replied.

"Will you change anything now that you can?"

"No. your mother thinks it will be too dangerous as time is… not something you want to mess with."

"It's mum not mother… unless you're talking to old Daphy. And if you can't change anything… then you already know what is going to happen for the next three years." At Harrys nod she continued. "So please, please, please tell me that I don't have to marry Malfoy" she asked pleadingly with puppy dog eyes.

Harry laughed.

"It was only three years in the future. You would be barley fifteen. So I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that you won't have to. Only that he seemed pretty happy with Parkinson." Harry said chuckling.

"Well that's better than a yes I suppose." She replied causing Harry to chuckle. "Come on Maxi will have dinner ready by now… Just don't call him Maxi he doesn't like it." She whispered the last bit as if this Maxi was listening in on the conversation.

Harry just chuckled at her antics.

Dinner was a quiet affair with Harry and Astoria talking about the future. Nothing important, just little things like quidditch and Harry explaining his adventures from first and second year surprising Astoria with the danger that had been in the castle the last year. Harry meanwhile was surprised to hear that Astoria was a Ravenclaw not a slytherin like her sister, but then he realised that he shouldn't be that surprised looking at the Patil twins.

Zandra was watching them with a calculating gaze that slightly unnerved Harry while Daphne seemed more interested in eating and comporting herself like the pureblood daughter of a powerful House she knew herself to be, much to Astoria's amusement.

"Now why don't you two go and get some of your homework out of the way so you can enjoy the rest of the summer while I talk to Harry here." Zandra said once they had finished dinner.

"Yes mother." Daphne said getting up.

"I don't want to." Astoria pouted.

"Don't worry. Mr Potter will be here for a little while yet." Her mother replied "And as our discussion will be private you won't be able to talk to him anyway. So go on, shoo, off you go and do some homework."

"Okay mum." She said getting up and trudging out the room.

"This way Harry… we can talk in my study," Zandra said gesturing for him to follow her.

"So we have talked about why you came back but not what we are going to do now. First lets talk about Sirius Black. How was he not in Azkaban and why was he fighting his cousin?"

"He's innocent. And he will escape Azkaban in a few weeks' time." Harry replied.

"Innocent? How?"

"Peter Pettigrew" He spat, "He was the traitor and he framed him. Peter is still alive by the way."

"Oh? So I guess Peter was your parent's secret keeper not Sirius?"

"Yes."

"Who else knows… or will know of this?"

"Me, Ron, Hermione, professor Lupin, Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix. Me, Ron and Hermione only found out about it at the end of my third year though. Professor Lupin as well I suppose. I really don't know about Dumbledore."

"How did the wizarding world react to that?"

"They didn't know as Fudge wouldn't believe me."

"Why didn't Dumbledore try and do something? He has an awful lot of influence in the world still."

"I don't know. He said his hands were tied as the minister didn't believe him, or me. Instead taking the word of Snivelus over mine..."

"Snivelus?" Zandra asked confused.

"Sorry. I mean Snape." Harry replied causing Zandra to chuckle appreciatively

"That's good… I like that." She chuckled "Snivelus. Hehe."

"Well I am going to bed now. Will I see you in the morning or will you be working?"

"I have the morning shift but will be home by midday."

Harry just nodded before walking out of the study towards the stairs.

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_**A/N: okay so what do you think? good? bad? crappy?**_

_**we both thought that its something that we have never seen before harry going back in time unable to change anything at all so this will be fun people but please review ;)**_

_**i hope to have the next chapter up in a next weekend but with work it might be the one after so bare with me on this one please :)**_


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